WaPo’s Chris Cillizza wonders: Is Candidate Obama … overrated?

posted at 12:01 pm on October 8, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

It’s amazing what happens when the emperor is exposed as having no clothes, eh? Suddenly, the media begin asking questions that everyone else asked four years ago about a man who hadn’t even completed one term as Senator and who had no executive experience, running in a distinctly anti-Republican political environment. Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post wonders whether Barack Obama has always been as mediocre a candidate as he was last Wednesday night in the debate:

Four years ago, that question would have been unimaginable. After all, this was a man who in his first run for national office not only outmaneuvered the Clinton family to win the Democratic presidential nomination but also went on to claim a 365-electoral-vote general-election landslide against Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz). And, oh by the way, Obama did all that while raising $750 million (including $500 million online) — a sum that shattered all fundraising records.

Well, we’re finding out more about how Team Obama shattered those fundraising records, too. But Cillizza is wrong about the question being “unimaginable”; plenty of us “imagined” it at the time, and not just about Obama as a candidate. He was easily the least-experienced major-party nominee in decades, with no military, business, or executive experience prior to his candidacy. The only elections he won were in a heavily Democratic region — Chicago — and against Alan Keyes in his one statewide race in 2004. Obama had never distinguished himself as a legislative leader. His only real claim to fame was that he wrote two memoirs and gave a great speech at the 2004 Democratic convention.

In fact, not only were many of us “imagining” that question, we were pointing out Obama’s flaws and foibles on the campaign trail, most of which the press ignored in favor of the Obama narrative of Hope and Change. Cillizza tacitly acknowledges the warning signs in 2008:

And yet, even in that campaign, there was some evidence that candidate Obama had flaws — the most notable of which was that while he delivered solid performances in the debates against McCain, he was far from the champion performer that many expected. (The coverage largely glossed over that fact because a) the race had already heavily tilted in Obama’s favor by that point, making the debates less meaningful, and b) McCain was a decent debater at best, which made Obama’s performance seem stronger in comparison.)

The narrative has changed this year, or perhaps it’s better to say that Obama has forced the narrative to change:

Fast-forward to this campaign — and specifically its last two major public events — and you see Obama’s flaws as a candidate in starker relief.

His acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention was flat and, rhetorically, felt like a patchwork effort — five or six different speeches all clumped into a single address. His debate performance was glum and defensive, leaving anyone who watched with the overwhelming sense that the president would have rather been anywhere but sharing the stage with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R).

The New York Times says the same thing today, claiming that Obama has so much disdain for Romney that he couldn’t overcome it in the debate:

Mr. Obama does not like debates to begin with, aides have long said, viewing them as media-driven gamesmanship. He did not do all that well in 2008 but benefited from Senator John McCain’s grumpy performances. Mr. Obama made clear to advisers that he was not happy about debating Mr. Romney, whom he views with disdain. It was something to endure, rather than an opportunity, aides said.

Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts was recruited to play Mr. Romney. The preparation team was kept small. The most important players were Mr. Axelrod; David Plouffe, the president’s senior adviser; and Anita Dunn, a former White House communications director. Others included Joel Benenson, the president’s pollster; Ronald A. Klain, Mr. Biden’s former chief of staff; and Robert Barnett, a longtime Democratic debate coach.

By the time Mr. Obama retreated to Nevada for a final couple days of practice, the debate prep team was getting by on as little as three hours of sleep a night as they crafted answers and attack lines. Mr. Kerry played a range of Mr. Romneys — aggressive, laid back, hard-edge conservative — and got in the president’s face, according to people in the room. Mr. Obama’s alternating performances left aides walking off Air Force One in Denver looking worried.

Well … so what? No one likes debating a political opponent. A professional overcomes that and muscles up. A dilettante uses that as an excuse not to properly prepare. It’s pretty clear which showed up on Wednesday.

Cillizza tries to finish on a positive note for Obama, underscoring his rhetorical gifts, which were entirely outside of evidence in these last two opportunities. There’s no mistaking the shift in narrative, however, and it’s not just the media wondering whether Obama’s overrated as a candidate. It’s also going to extend to whether Obama has been overrated as a President — and why the media has worked so hard in overrating him as both.

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This is just another one of those “Obama failed because he is so awesome” articles. In this version, Obama isn’t cut out for the mean, nasty, rough-and-tumble world of politics, because he’s so cool, cautious, and pragmatic. He’s above the fray of a Clinton or a Romney, who can fake sincerity.

Baerwulf on October 8, 2012 at 12:49 PM

It’s called denial. It looks to me like the media is collectively going through the seven stages of grief.

If graduating in the top 10% of your class at Harvard Law is as crucial to qualifications as we keep being told, shouldn’t we also be considering the names of the ~1000 other people who have also done it since 1991?

Aren’t they all just as qualified to be president if they’re old enough and citizens, and possibly ~900 of them more highly qualified based on class rank? Or am I missing something?

Why not elect a valedictorian from 1991-present? Wouldn’t one of them be **the** most qualified? So since ’91 there are 17 Harvard grads who are much more qualified, and hundreds more valedictorians when other law schools are factored in.

with each response, and after an entire debate has taken 20 to 50 sides of them. Which of his sides do you attack?

astonerii on October 8, 2012 at 12:17 PM

maybe that was romney’s strategy all along, confuse Obama lol :-)…well, anything that makes obama squirm and make it impossible for him to retaliate…all’s fair in love and war :-)…

jimver on October 8, 2012 at 1:00 PM

The truth is that Romney’s positions have been crystal clear for some time now–certainly on the tax issue, if nothing else. And Obama insists on trying to misrepresent Romney’s positions, because he doesn’t want to talk about his own record.

There are so many milestones over the last four years where it would have been an appropriate time to ask this question. The first time we hit a trillion in debt (not the fourth), or how about the time our credit was downgraded? How about the underwear bomber? How about the oil gushing in the gulf for 3 months? No clues then?

That the president is black, that he seemed dog tired and often glanced at his notes when Romney was speaking had an uncomfortable but rarely acknowledged resonance in the US. I am sorry to have mention this, but the contrast between the black guy, momentarily off his game and looking downwards, and the white guy, all crisp, clear-eyed and on top of things, will register in the subconscious of an electorate that is far from being free of racism.

This swine from the Guardian calls you a “racist”. Isn’t he the racist for asking so little of the first half-black president? He failed utterly, as he himself describes, and then he makes excuses for such a complete failure, the pres, and the stupid writer.

I don’t know why debates and speeches are considered such significant indicators anyway. I never pay attention to them since politicians so often say what they think the audience wants to hear and then do whatever they want later. Obama’s experience and past actions were the only reliable indicators, and I’m mad as hell that the press glossed over them (when they talked about them at all) in favor of his superficial characteristics, or even imaginary ones. As much as they express disdain for the uninformed and impressionable electorate, the press proved themselves even less reality-based than the voters were.

I don’t know why debates and speeches are considered such significant indicators anyway.

Socratease on October 8, 2012 at 1:14 PM

Are you honestly suggesting that last week’s debate didn’t have an effect on the campaign? Whether it will matter in the end is another matter but winning the Presidency is made up of such smaller victories.

We don’t know that little Bammie was in the top 10% of his class at Harvard. As best we can determine, he was in the top 47% of his class. That’s the percentage that were awarded honors of some sort in the few years around his graduation.

The further effect that affirmative action had on that number is a data point that is not available. I suggest that Harvard would have made certain that the percentage of honors between whites and AA candidates would have been approximately equal.

Couldn’t they just put an un-detectable ear piece inside Barfy’s ear and feed him talking points that way. It’s not like they’re known for playing by the rules…ever.

NapaConservative on October 8, 2012 at 1:19 PM

This is a lot more credible than the possibility of Obama demanding a teleprompter. However, his arrogance won’t let him do it. The is one thing that has been working in our favor since the beginning of this administration is Obama’s hubris. Pride goes before the fall.

This is a lot more credible than the possibility of Obama demanding a teleprompter. However, his arrogance won’t let him do it. The is one thing that has been working in our favor since the beginning of this administration is Obama’s hubris. Pride goes before the fall.

Chris Cilliza is either lying outright, or he’s got dementia and he doesn’t remember what happened in 2008. Obama lost the popular vote; and he didn’t win the electoral vote either. He was not so much elected as he was SELECTED as the nominee of the Democratic Party.

The DNC–Howard Dean to be exact–with the help of Donna Brazile and Harold Ickes of Center for American Progress, stole that election for Obama because they feared losing to McCain if Bill Clinton was brought up during the general election with Hillary as the nominee.

Obama wasn’t even on the ballot in Michigan; yet the DNC took 4 delegates Clinton EARNED because she was on the ballot and gave them to Obama. Then, the DNC GAVE OBAMA 55 delegates from Michigan, even though he wasn’t on the ballot.

I watched the meeting where the result was decided; it was a very sad day for the Democrats. It was a very sad day for this country and our Democratic Republic.

And you didn’t even mention the manipulation of the caucus systems where they were used.

Until 2008, caucuses were conducted on a genial “you have your say, I’ll have mine, and we’ll vote” basis. But the Obama folks studied the rules and learned the tricks that could be used to drag out the process. By this they forced delay upon delay upon delay to the voting. The Clinton supporters were not prepared for this, and could not stay for umpteen hours without end to vote. Obama won these delagates by attrition.

Hillary tried calling foul; even the press did, since Hillary was the purported Nominee-in-Waiting. (The press was not yet so wholly in the tank for Obama.) But it was legal, though it stunk to high Heaven.

That right there should have been a clue to people as to the character of candidate Obama.

I remember the best friend of mine’s father telling me back in 08-09 that Obama would be remembered as the greatest President of All Time. I couldn’t do anything but shake my head after he completely dismissed for no reason my pointing out Obama’s genuine lack of political/executive/business accomplishments. I know plenty of Obamabots but that man took the cake.

JSR08 on October 8, 2012 at 12:16 PM

Oh, so he was one of the Committee members who voted to grant the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama then, yes?

My expectation four years ago was that Obama would destroy the chances of any other minority person of becoming president for twenty years. I may be wrong and I hope so. At that time a causual friend informed me that she was going to the gigantic Obama rally on the DC mall. She is a minority and I am not. She could not understand why I would not go.

One other reason why Obama bombed in the debate is his wife Michelle. The debate was held on their anniversary and the poor guy was recounting all those 20 nightmarish years in real time. He couldn’t get her off his mind because she was right there in the front row with her 1000 KW grin.

It is entirely immaterial how overrated and clearly unqualifed this petulant, empty suit is to hold the office. Even after he has been exposed time and time again, there are many, many people in this country who willstill vote for him.

My expectation four years ago was that Obama would destroy the chances of any other minority person of becoming president for twenty years. I may be wrong and I hope so.

burt on October 8, 2012 at 2:33 PM

Well, that’s sort of a “trick question”, because there are so many variables involved.

I don’t see another Democrat African American running for President anytime soon. And if you look at the other major players in today’s Democrat Party, it’s not exactly top heavy with experienced, credible African Americans. They’re certainly not going to run someone like Maxine Waters for President. But that doesn’t mean they can’t find someone from another ethnic group. Who, I have no idea.

Which leads me to the Republican side. I can see Bobby Jindal running and winning someday, and Mia Love is definitely a rising star.

There’s no mistaking the shift in narrative, however, and it’s not just the media wondering whether Obama’s overrated as a candidate. It’s also going to extend to whether Obama has been overrated as a President — and why the media has worked so hard in overrating him as both.

Cillizza tries to finish on a positive note for Obama, underscoring his rhetorical gifts, which were entirely outside of evidence in these last two opportunities.

The MSM always love to point out what a great orator Obama is. Well, I’ve never heard it, but that may be because when he is on TV I change the channel, hit the mute button or turn it off. Even so, I’ve known plenty of blacks who could really turn a phrase, but they weren’t particularly intelligent compared to other people. I think they imitated their preachers, but it didn’t go much past imitation.

Obama is the same way. He isn’t particularly bright, but has never been challenged by the MSM or anyone else until he debated Romney without a teleprompter. Without everything pre-written and presented on a teleprompter for him to read, Obama is just the empty suit I have always suspected he is. I also think plenty of people on the left know it too. They just didn’t want to admit it to themselves or anyone else.

Obama fell into the job. Eight year of Bush and the economic crisis combined to make just about any democrat electable. Now the MSM idolatry that’s a hoss of a different color. His being bi-racial, a citizen of the world, raised outside of Amerika, his studied disdain for American exceptionalism, even his Pastors hate sermons these were all wet dream MSM attributes. But when you write a story about how the “kingdom of god” is going to arrive on Air Force one. Well he had a looong way to fall and he’e hit with a thud.

See, here’s the thing. That’s not “ignoring”. Ignoring is quite another thing.
This was by DESIGN. They knew full well what he is and what they were, and still are, doing.
This is treason.
Cleombrotus on October 8, 2012 at 1:12 PM

There are so few truths in this world, when you hear one, you know it.

At one point early in the debate, Lehrer said, exasperatedly, “Excuse me. Excuse me. Just so everybody understands, we’re way over our first 15 minutes.”
“It’s fun, isn’t it?” Romney responded.

lynncgb on October 8, 2012 at 2:20 PM

Yeah, that was a good quote. Romney was telling everyone he was winning at that point.

Another good quote I thought was when Romney said he was in business for 25 years, but had no idea what Obama was talking about wrt getting tax breaks for moving overseas. It’s not that it was such a great attack, but that he let everyone know that he had 25 years of experience to rely on to get the economy going again. I haven’t heard anyone mention that yet, but I thought it was a coup de grace in getting information to voters without them even realizing it.

Maybe that’s why he can’t go to security briefings-disdain, or govern-disdain for America.

Chris Cilliza is either lying outright, or he’s got dementia and he doesn’t remember what happened in 2008. Obama lost the popular vote; and he didn’t win the electoral vote either. He was not so much elected as he was SELECTED as the nominee of the Democratic Party.

The DNC–Howard Dean to be exact–with the help of Donna Brazile and Harold Ickes of Center for American Progress, stole that election for Obama because they feared losing to McCain if Bill Clinton was brought up during the general election with Hillary as the nominee.

Obama wasn’t even on the ballot in Michigan; yet the DNC took 4 delegates Clinton EARNED because she was on the ballot and gave them to Obama. Then, the DNC GAVE OBAMA 55 delegates from Michigan, even though he wasn’t on the ballot.

I watched the meeting where the result was decided; it was a very sad day for the Democrats. It was a very sad day for this country and our Democratic Republic.

One would have to be delusional or stupid not to have seen Obama for the fraud he was all along. Sorry, Cilizza, you’re just lying here; Obama is a MEDIA FICTION. And, he always has been.

mountainaires on October 8, 2012 at 1:36 PM

Thanks for all the detail. I have mentioned the number of votes before. Hilllary actually earned the nomination, not Obama. Any time the d’s bring up war on women, remind them they robbed a woman of the US presidency

The ONLY reason Barack Obama sits in the White House today is his skin color. Period. White voters saw an opportunity to purge themselves of the “r@cist” label slapped on them for decades and they took it. They were, by the word’s strictest definition, r@cist themselves.

Now, having absolved themselves of the guilt attendant to never having elected a black to the presidency, they will vote their economic interests. The con is over. Barack Obama knows this and he knows the election is already lost. That’s why he’s raking in every penny he can in direct (not DNC) contributions. That money is his, to do with as he pleases, no matter the outcome of the election. Watch the spending from his own individual account for proof. That money’s not going anywhere but into Obama’s pocket.

You can’t blame him, though. I hear the cost of living in Hawaii is sky high.

Couldn’t they just put an un-detectable ear piece inside Barfy’s ear and feed him talking points that way. It’s not like they’re known for playing by the rules…ever.

I suspect any good-quality scanner would intercept transmissions to a hidden microphone and expect there will be one there. Getting caught doing that would pretty much bury Preezy Eye Candy.

Beyond that, if it’s not typed up on TOTUS Barry-O won’t be able to handle it. He’s just not that quick. Anyway, all they could do is feed him talking points and he seemed to have those down pat the last time, for all the good they did him.

He’s going to have to work without a net. Listen for a resounding “thump” when he hits the ground.